A small leak of tritium-contaminated water occurred during decommissioning work at the Fugen advanced converter reactor in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, on Tuesday afternoon. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) confirmed the 20-milliliter leak was swiftly contained, with no radiation exposure to workers or environmental impact detected.
Three workers were present when the pipe leak occurred at 3 p.m., but monitoring posts showed stable radiation levels around the facility. While tritium concentrations within the demolition zone exceeded safety standards, JAEA emphasized the incident posed no risk to public health or surrounding ecosystems.
The Fugen reactor, operational until 2003 as part of Japan's nuclear fuel recycling research, has been undergoing decommissioning since 2008. Authorities have reported the incident to Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority as part of standard safety protocols.
This marks the first reported leak at the site this year, underscoring ongoing challenges in nuclear facility dismantling processes. JAEA officials stated they will review operational procedures to prevent future occurrences.
